The Caves of Androzani

[CaptainMatt]

For me, this four-part adventure represents some of the very best plot and characterisation that Doctor Who has to offer.
It was not without reason Caves was voted best Who story ever back in the 90s I believe it was.
Taking the new series into consideration, it still outshines most of the newer Doctors' adventures, althought here are a couple I would say rival it but not by far.
So what do the Trek BBS Who fans think of Caves of Androzani?

 

[Anachronus]

Absolutely fantastic episode. Definitely in the top ten probably the top five.

 

[OmahaStar]

Well certainly it's a great story. The last 4 minutes are brilliant, and the entire story sets up the coming of the best Doctor in the history of the series. So yeah, top notch story.

 

[The Wormhole]

Just saw this for the first time myself. I enjoyed it, it's entertaining and fast paced. Really, you can't go wrong with a Robert Holmes story.

BTW, has anyone ever commented on the somewhat Star Trek inspired uniform colours worn by the army? The general wore yellow, his second in command wore blue, and all the expendable minions wore red.

 

[Draculasaurus]

Caves is pretty darn fantastic.
I don't even mind the Magma Beast costume.

 

[Starfleet Engineer]

I need to watch this again. It just seemed average to me.

 

[Mr Awe]

Definitely the best of the original series and perhaps of the new series as well.

Mr Awe

 

[Ghost Bones]

Usually recognised as the pinnacle.

 

[C.E. Evans]

Androzani is definitely my favorite Davison story and one of my favorite Doctor Who stories period even to this day. It was a very action-oriented adventure with servings of corporate intrigue, backstabbing, and even gothic horror (in the form of its main villain). The Fifth Doctor went out in fine style in this story and I think the regeneration sequence was the coolest of the classic Doctors era, IMO.

BTW, has anyone ever commented on the somewhat Star Trek inspired uniform colours worn by the army? The general wore yellow, his second in command wore blue, and all the expendable minions wore red.

I picked up on that when I first saw it as a kid. I always thought it was a deliberate nod to Star Trek.

 

[23skidoo]

I have to be honest, I was underwhelmed the first time I saw it. But then I never thought much of Talons of Weng-Chiang either. The only parts that stuck out for me was that one cliffhanger with the Doctor doing a crash dive in a spaceship, and the regeneration sequence which remains the best one of the classic series. And of course Nicola Bryant looking hot.

All that said, Androzani is on my list of DVDs to get now the Special Edition is out. I had a choice between it and The Sensorites but went with the Sensorites because I'd never seen that one before, and I tend to favor the older stories as they're the ones that often become harder to find at retail.

Alex

 

[TedShatner10]

I was really impressed by the performances from the late Christopher Gable and John Nomington.

 

[sidious618]

It's a perfect episode which is even more remarkable because it could have so easily been a disaster. Holmes' dialogue works great but it could've easily failed in the hands of lesser actors.

 

[DWF]

I've always loved the Caves Of Androzani, it was a first rate story all the way around. Resurrection Of The Daleks might've won the season poll that year but over time Caves has overtaken it as a classic story.

Robert Holmes must've had a great love for The Phantom of The Opera, he included elements of it in three of his stories, The Deadly Assassin, The Talons Of Weng-Chiang and this one. The ending of part three really showed how determinded the fifth Doctor could become when he wanted to be. I also loved the reference to Caves in The Doctor, The Widow And The Wardrobe.